# Science and Religion

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

---

> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Alí-Akbar Furútan, Science and Religion, New Delhi: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1970, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> E    SCIENCE
> &
> RELIGION
> 
> by
> A A Fvufutan 790$}
> 
> 3 M’
> BAHAI PUBLISHING TRUST
> P 0 BOX 19
> NEW osu-n 1
> @ Baha'i Pubiishlnq Trust
> 
> Q
> 
> Translated lnto English from the
> original Persian.
> xv
> 
> FOREWORD
> Baha'u'Ilah, the Founder of the Baha'i
> Faith, has made it very clear in His
> Writins that science and religion are in
> accord. Baha’i'writings compare
> these with two wings of a bird. Just as
> a bird cannot fly with one wing only, so
> the world of humanity cannot soar to the
> apex of happiness and prosperity with_
> science or religion alone.              _
> A divinely-revealed Faith bereft of
> human superstitions and imaginings and
> endowed with its initial purity and simpli-
> city cannot be, in fact, opposed to
> knowledge and reason. The notion of
> the conflict between religion and science
> comes into existence mainly because a
> few people of the bygone ages have
> treated religion and science as opposed
> to each other.
> The purpose of this essay, therefore, is
> to explain the causes underlying the rise
> of the notion of such a conflict between
> science and reliion, and to make it clear
> that the prophets of God have always
> stressed the need of attaining more and
> more knowledge and wisdom.
> CHAPTER I
> 
> What is Science ‘I             Q
> Human knowledge has been divided by
> scholars into two classes: ‘common’ and
> ‘scientific’.
> 
> The Common Knowledge
> The Common Knowledge is a natural
> phenomenon. It is attained without
> relating one event to the other. Its
> scope, to use the scientific term, is not
> all-embracing.
> When a layman looks at the falling rain,
> he does not link it to cause and effect.
> It never comes to his mind that rain is
> an outcome of several causes and
> effects of the sun, the sea, the wind, the
> vapour and its condensation, the gravity
> and the like. Similarly, he cannot relate
> the functioning of a radio, electric bulb
> and lightening to one cause, namely
> electricity. Thus one of the chief
> characteristics of the Common
> Knowledge is the absence of links
> between the events.
> 
> The Scientific Knowledge
> The Scientific Knowledge is an outcome
> of relating the causes and effects of the
> natural events, or of a discovery of the
> elemental properties and scientific laws.
> 
> The difference between the Common
> Knowledge and the Scientific Knowledge
> (i) The Common Knowledge does not
> lead to definite conclusions because it
> gives not a unified but an isolated
> information about a subject or object.
> Moreover, the findings of the Common
> Knowledge are changeable according to
> l
> the changes in the sequence of events
> constituting a natural phenomenon. On
> the other hand the results of the Scienti-
> fic Knowledge are always reliable and
> definite as their validity and truth can
> always be tested, and verified according
> V
> to the scientific laws.
> (ii) The Scientific Knowledge is all-
> embracing and concrete. lt relies on
> definite, general laws and does not
> describe merely the efiects of a natural
> phenomenon in isolated parts, but
> classifies them as a unified whole.
> Scientists analyse the basic characteri-
> stics of different vegetables and animals,
> and classify them according to those
> characteristics. This all-embracing
> principle is the most important feature
> of the Scientific Knowledge.
> (iii) _The Scientific Knowledge is always
> governed by well-defined principles, and
> the present scientists, without repeating
> the experiments of the past scientists,
> make use of their discoveries. For
> instance, in Chemistry there is a basic
> law for the qualitative analysis of variou S
> components with the help of which an
> investigator can easily carry out his
> investigation.
> The Stages of'Human Knowledge
> Every branch of science in its course to
> perfection or progression has no other
> 
> way but to pass through the following
> four stages:
> (1) The collection of relevant informa-
> tion.
> (2) The systematic arrangement of the
> said information and the formation
> of elementary laws based on tests
> and experiments.
> (3) The discovery of specific laws.
> (4) The accumulation of the resutls of
> the specific laws in order to frame
> general laws.
> 
> To make it more clear we can cite
> astronomy as an example. Astronomy is
> a well known science. It has gone
> through these four stages in its progres-
> sion to reach the present status. Before
> Hipparcus (2nd Century B.C.) and
> Claudius Ptolemaeus (2nd Century A.D.)
> very little information was available
> about this science. lt was with the work
> of these two scientists that the elemen-
> tary laws of this science were
> established. Later on Johannes Kepler
> (1571-1630) discovered a series of
> specific laws, and finally Isaac Newton
> (1643-1727) gave the general laws
> strengthening the pillars of astronomy.
> These stages may further be explained
> as follows:
> 
> The First Stage
> ln the first stage the scientist has to take
> supposition as his basis for reasoning
> without assumption of its truths to explain
> the unknown relations between the
> various causes and effects of a natural
> phenomenon (especially when these
> cannot be proved by tests and experi-         ,
> ments). This is called hypothesis or the
> 
> starting point of investigation. Hypothesis
> is very essential for the expansion of the
> scope of science -and knowledge.
> 
> The Second Stage
> ln the second stage the scientist    _ "
> accumulates the results of his hypothesis
> and formulates differant theories to
> explain the relations of the effects of the
> natural phenomenon. Many of these
> theories, when experimented and tested,
> may prove to be wrong and lose their
> validity.
> 
> The Third Stage 1                        A
> In this stage the scientific findings reach
> a higher level and most of these hypo-
> theses and theories prove themselves
> true when tested, and thus become lawsl
> Nevertheless, these laws are not genera.
> as there may be exceptions to them.
> 
> The Fourth Stage
> In the fourth stage human knowledge of
> science reaches a stage of general laws
> where there are no exceptions to them
> at any time or place.
> 
> Hypothesis                        4
> The hypothesis of Immanuel Kant (1724-
> 1804) and Pierre Simon Laplace (1749-
> 1827) regarding the origin of the earth
> and of life on the earth, of molecular
> magnetism, of Herman Helmholtz
> (1821-1894) regarding light and colour
> and theories such as the Theory of
> Evolution, and likewise hundreds of other
> theories and hypotheses are still in their
> l
> i
> E
> 
> first stage, and are open to varying _
> interpretations by different scientists. '
> 
> Scientific books are full of such hypothe-
> ses and theories. Even the medical
> science, though very ancient, has not
> been able to make absolute arid-
> unchangeable laws despite its use of
> Physics, Chemistry, Physiology and                   l
> 
> Anatomy. For example, until recently it
> was a medical practice to recommend
> blood-letting to a patient because the               I
> 
> doctors considered the blood of a patient
> to be impure. But now this i_s very rarely
> tried.
> 
> Thus either the new concepts are being
> applied or new methods adopted in the
> field of medical science every now and                    l
> i
> then.‘ That is why general laws have
> not been established in regard to
> medical science.                                         l
> 
> i
> 
> The Exact Sciences
> The more a science is based on general
> laws and the more tree it is from vague
> theories, suppositions and specific laws,
> the more exact and reliable it is. That is
> why Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics,                         1
> Chemistry, etc. are more exact than                          l
> medical science, education and fine arts.
> These pure sciences are based on                            l
> l
> general laws and until now nobody has
> challenged their validity. No one,
> therefore, has ever been able to falsify
> Archimedes‘ (287-212 B.C.) Principle, the
> Laws of Motion, the Law of Gravity,
> Pascal's Law (1623-62), Boyle's Law
> (1621-91), Gay-Lussac's Principle (1778-
> 1850), Joule's Law (1818-89), etc. If
> anyone can prove that a body does not ,
> lose weight equal to the weight of water
> 
> displaced, Archimedes‘ Law will lose its
> validity and significance.
> 
> From the above analysis it becomes
> apparent that science is the discovery of
> the reality of objects and is composed of
> human knowledge about the external
> world and the means to bring about
> systematic changes in it. True science,
> therefore, is a knowledge that passes
> beyond hypotheses, theories and specific
> laws, and is based on general principles.
> The ancient Greeks regarded knowledge
> as philosophy and divided it into logic
> and ethics. In the 16th century Francis
> Bacon (1561-1626) divided knowledge
> into history, poetry and philosophy.
> Later on the French scientists divided
> science and human knowledge into six
> branches: (i) Theology and Ethics, (ii)
> History, (iii) Mathematics, (iv) Natural
> Sciences, (v) Magic and Alchemy, and
> (vi) Literature. Auguste Comte (1798-
> 1857), however, classified knowledge in
> the following stages:
> (1) Knowledge of inanimate Objects.
> (2) Knowledge of Animate Objects.
> (3) Knowledge of Objects above the
> Animate.
> He further sub-divides knowledge of
> inanimate Objects under Mathematics,
> Mechanics, Physics and Chemistry;
> Knowledge of Animate objects under
> Physiology and Biology; and the third
> stage under Sociology and Psychology.
> i
> 
> i
> i
> 
> l
> 
> CHAPTER 2
> 
> r
> 
> What is Religion ?
> 
> Etymologically the word ‘religion’ is
> derived from the Latin 'REi_lGlO' which"
> means to bind closely“ So the word
> religion -has come to mean\“a close and-
> devoted binding of oneself to Obedience
> and Allegiance." According to the
> German scholar, Max Mueller (1823-1-900),
> "Religion is a spiritual power which helps           1
> l
> man to understand the infinite." Reville
> observes, “Religion is a controlling                 1
> influence on man's life. "it regards the              l
> r
> 
> soul as a governing power over humanity"             1
> 
> and the universe, and connects this _ ‘
> governing power with God." In Schleier-
> macher‘s (1768-1834) view, “Religion is
> man's conscience which leads to                     >
> 
> complete obedience.".Feuerbach (1804-
> 1872), while defining religion, has stated
> “Religion is man's desire to know God."             1
> 
> in Kant‘s (1724-1804) opinion religion is               l
> 
> "the recognition of our duties as divine
> commands."                     ..
> Moris Jastrow, in his_book"'The Study
> of Re|igion", defines religion in accord-
> ance with three principles: (1) man's
> belief in the existence of some Absolute
> Power; (2) man's effort to establish a
> relationship with that Power; and (3) the
> establishment of a link with that Power.
> This faith in the Supreme Power is the
> basis of man's belief, and the longing to
> establish a relation with the Supreme
> 
> Source nurtures man's spiritual feelings.
> By prayer and meditation he establishes
> a link with the Creator Thus according
> to Jastrow, “Religion may be defined as
> the natural belief in a Power beyond our
> control, and upon Whom we feel our-
> selves dependent."
> Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) has defined
> religion as “man's deepest sentiments
> l
> r
> and most profound inspiration." Fichte
> (1762-1814), the founder of German
> idealism, observes, “Religion is moral
> perfection and moral perfection is the
> essence of religion." Jean Marie Guyau
> (1854-1888) states “Religion is the goal
> of man and is indeed the relationship of
> man to the Universe and its Truth."
> Although there are hundreds of other
> definitions of religion, the above-
> mentioned ones are sufficient to serve
> our purpose. Some oriental scholars
> have defined religion as man's attach-
> ment to and belief in God, the Creator
> of the Universe, whilst some others have
> called it “the Commands of God revealed
> to His Prophets to guide mankind."
> Abul-Fadl, a distinguished Baha'i
> scholar says, "Religion is the code of
> rules and laws revealed from God
> through Divine Revelation to a Chosen
> One, which shape the social and
> spiritual order of the world."
> 
> CHAPTER 3
> 
> Science and Religion
> 
> From the previous chapters it has been
> evident that science and religion are
> complementary. These two powerful
> forces lead mankind towards progress
> and perfection, solve all human problems.
> and expand man's physical, spiritual and
> intellectual faculties. Whereas science
> strengthens mind, religion purifies
> heart and soul. The one makes man
> physically comfortable, the other o’pens
> heavenly doors to him and makes his life
> spiritually rich. Science enables man to
> govern the forces of Nature while religion
> frees him from vain and selfish desires.
> Hence both religion and science are
> truths. Just as science enables him to
> understand the external phenomena of
> Nature, religion enables him to know the
> mysteries of the spiritual world.            . a¢~§"
> 
> Singularly, neither of them can develop
> man's'faculties to the full. Neither can
> enter the other's territory. Every branch
> of science confines itself to its own field
> and does not deal with matters beyond
> its field of enquiry and research. For
> example, mathematics deals with
> quantity, mechanics with motions, physics
> and chemistry with the material proper-
> ties, biology with living beings, psycho-
> logy with mind, and sociology with
> society. But none of these deal with
> man's creation, the existence, immortality
> 
> of soul, the Day of Judgement, and
> man's spiritual origin. Whatever cannot
> be tested or experimented is outside the
> domain of natural sciences. That is why
> materialistic philosophy cannot satisfy
> us with its explanation of these matters.
> Religion alone, with its spiritual
> philosophy based on history, can solve
> man's spiritual problems.
> 
> Religion solves man's spiritual
> Problems
> l   Since time immemorial man has tried to
> know the Creator and the mystery of
> ‘ .-   Creation, and to a great extent the fear of
> mortality has been haunting him. Since
> the very morrowof his creation this great
> mystery has impelled him to think on
> these vital questions and seek the
> answers, of "Who am I? Where have l
> come from and where am l goingto?"
> There is no doubt that man has wonder-
> ed., is wondering and will wonder about
> these questions. becaue he wants to know
> where this creation is leading to-
> Absolute nothingness or Eternity.
> These questions can be answered
> satisfactorily by religion only. Science
> has not entered this realm and has not
> tried to answer these questions.
> 
> Man Needs both Religion and
> Science
> Man, indeed, is in need of both religion
> and science as these two powerful
> forces are conducive to man's spiritual
> and intellectual growth and the develop-
> ment of a proper civilization.
> A number of scholars have admitted the
> 
> fact that science and religion are
> complementary, and have regarded as
> unfair the opinion of those who disagree     i
> to this fact. While analysing the relation
> of science and religion in one of his        i
> works on social philosophy Herbert
> Spencer has said: When we contemplate        ‘l
> 
> the natural things we find ourselves
> compelled to admit the existence of a
> Reality that is beyond our comprehen-
> sion. This instinctive acknowledgement
> is the point that links science and              l
> 
> religion. Outwardly it may seem. that
> religion and science are opposed to
> i
> each other, and many people imagine
> that scientific and religious matters
> are not in harmony; But such a
> conception is erroneous because religion
> is not a product of human fancy (as these        E
> people would believe) but of spiritual
> insight. Similarly, science is not a
> product of human fancy but a result of
> continuous experiments and tests--the
> experiments that have progressively
> R
> become more refined, and have discover-
> ed inconceivable realities.
> Religion and science, therefore, have one
> origin, one source, and one basis. They
> occupy an equal status. Both can be in
> harmony as they have always existed
> simultaneously. ln order to understand              l
> 
> this fact we have to study the main                 ._ . _ _
> 
> principles of both science and religion             i
> minutely. Only then it will become                   l
> 
> clear that there is neither discord nor
> disharmony between the two.
> 
> Ernest Haeckel (1834-1919), despite his
> criticism of the superstitious views
> about religion, has made a significant
> contribution regarding the relationship
> of science and religion. He has stated,
> "One of the fore.most problems which
> l             12
> 
> l         man wants to solve is the question of
> the origin and reality of things. Both
> science and philosophy are inadequate
> to answer this question. The scope of
> science is limited to the study of natural
> phenomena and the discovery of general
> laws whereas philosophy merely deals
> with theoretical ways and ignores the
> practical aspects.
> “Man cannot live on intelligence alone.
> He also has sentiments and emotions.
> Science can defeat religion only when it
> v1    satisfies man's emotional and spiritual
> l
> needs better than religion. Therefore
> science must make peace with religion
> and put aside enmity and antagonism."
> Guyau believes that if the myths and
> superstitions of religion that have
> obscured its truth were relinquished the
> strife between science and religion would
> end.‘                               -
> 
> ‘Also see the works of William James, Rlchelle
> and Bergson.
> CHAPTER 4
> 
> Why Some Scientists have Opposed
> Religion ?
> 
> Draper, a famous American scientist in
> one of his books about The Conflict of
> Religion and Science observes, “The
> opposition between science and religion,
> now reaching its climax, started when
> Christianity began to assume a powerful
> political influence in this world. Since
> then religion and science have fought
> against each other and many distinguish-
> ed men have joined this ‘confrontation’.
> The history of science does not talk
> merely of discoveries and inventions but
> also explains the nature of the opposition
> between two powerful forces. One of
> the two forces is the intelligence of man
> and his desire to progress and the other
> is the influence of men having orthobox
> ideas and selfish interests and the
> limitations caused by this influence."
> 
> From the above quotation, we may
> conclude that from the time that
> Christianity was well spread and the
> priests had full mastery over the minds o
> Christians, the alienation of religion and
> science started. This alienation gradually
> turned to strife and conflict, and reached
> its climax when some scientists and
> scholars referred to religion as the sole
> enemy of knowledge and the world faiths
> the sole cause of decline and downfall
> of civilizations.       -       ,
> j t
> l
> 
> l
> i
> 
> lf we study the books written on this
> subject we learn that the motives for the
> l
> conflict were not actuated by knowledge
> of the true nature of science and religion
> but that the conflict has several other
> t   reasons which we shall discuss now.
> t
> 
> 1. Some scientists say that many
> statements of the Bible such as the .
> 
> i            creation of Universe in six days, the
> manner of the creation of Adam and
> Eve and other creatures, the belief in
> t
> the darkening of the sun and the moon,
> the fall of stars during the second
> Coming of Christ are violently opposed
> to the established truths of science.
> on
> 
> 2. Scientists complain that many priests
> have propagated superstitious ideas '
> and beliefs contrary to science. This has
> led many Christians to oppose science.
> Lacdans, a priest, has opposed the
> earth's being round. He says, “if the
> earth is round the beings living on the
> other side of the globe must have their
> heads towards the earth and feet
> towards the sky, the plants and trees
> must grow in reverse. No reasonable
> man believes that the earth is round. If
> the simpletons (who say that the earth
> is round) are asked why the things of
> the earth do not fall ofi the ground, their
> answer will be—as the radius of a circle
> always faces towardslthe centre, in
> the same manner the heavy things are
> attracted to the centre of the globe,
> and only the weightless objects like
> cloud and steam rise towards the sky. ls
> not this error graver than the concept
> of the earth's being round? "
> St. Augustine, one of the Church-fathers
> (354-430 A.D.) does not believe that man
> exists on the other side of the earth
> 
> _t
> 
> because when the children of Adam are
> referred to in the holy Bible there is no
> mention of it. lfthere were any men on
> the other side of the earth they would
> not be able to see the second Coming of
> Christ. Hence it is not reasonable to
> think that the earth is round.
> 
> Such narrow ideas led the people to the
> wilds of superstition and obscurantism
> and left them deprived of true knowledge
> for centuries.
> 3. While the clergy themselves led an
> expensive and luxurious life, they
> preached for others a life of asceticism
> and monasticism. Thus they prevented
> many people from performing the real
> humanitarian duties. Having exploited
> the religious feelings, they misused
> reliion by transporting soil from
> Jerusalem and selling it at a very high
> price; they also put certain icons and
> idols in the holy places of worship in
> order to extract gifts and donations from
> the people. In this way hundreds of such
> evil-customs were promoted by them
> in the name of religion. These customs
> were, indeed, irrational and against
> truth. They were superstitious; they
> over-clouded man's spiritual vision, and
> deprived him of true knowledge.
> 4. Many historians have deplored the
> lll-treatment of the men of science and
> learning by the clergy. Some scholars
> regard such persecutions and tortures
> as an evidence of the conflict between
> science and religion and cite the
> following examples in support of their
> argument:
> (i) The Persecution of Copernicus
> (1473-1543): immediately after Copernicus
> ‘ta
> l
> lI
> 
> i
> i
> t
> 
> l
> 
> published his book about The Motion of
> "the Planets, he was mercilessly
> persecuted by the Church.
> (ii) The Persecution of Galileo
> (1564-1642) : Galileo, the famous astro-
> nomer and scientist, developed the tele-
> scope and in 1609 he observed
> prominences on the surface of the moon
> k,                       and the satellites of Jupiter and the halo
> of Saturn. ln 1616 he suffered the.
> same fate as Copernicus, and was
> condemned. ln 1633 he was forced to
> ,1
> 1                        deny the Earth's motion. Later on he
> went blind, and was ostracized all his
> life.
> 
> (iii) The Persecution of Bruno
> ._ 4_AQ__1
> (1548-1600): When Giordano Bruno, the
> famous Italian scientist published his
> .44_A
> book on science in 1584 he was thought to
> be a heretic by the Court of lnquisition,
> 1             and was burnt alive in 1600.
> l
> 
> (iv) The Death of I-Iypatia
> 1            (4-5th Century A.D.): Hypatia, the
> daughter of the famous mathematician
> t           Theon, was ordered to be killed by St.
> Cyril, the Head of the Alexandria Church
> only because she was a master of
> mathematics and philosophy, answered
> the questions like “Who am l?", “What
> do I know?", “Where am lto go?", and
> spread knowledge and wisdom. She was
> slain in 415 A.D., and her body was
> mutilated.
> 
> (v) The Destrution of the
> Alexandria Library
> (391 A.D ): A» site, which was formerly a
> part of the-temple of Osiris, was granted
> to the Christians by Theophilus for the
> 
> I                Q
> ~17
> 
> building of a church. When the ground
> was being dug for the foundation, a
> marble stone inscribed with some Pagan
> belief was found. The Christians made fun
> of it, the Pagans got infuriated, and the
> religious riots broke out in Alexandria.
> Violence flared up terribly, and multi-
> tudes were slain. The Emperor had to
> send troops to quell the riots, and to
> punish the Pagans who had taken
> refuge in the Serapeion region. _
> Theophilus, having a mandate from the
> Emperor, destroyed every building of that
> area including the famous Library of
> Alexandria.        '           _
> 
> Such acts of violence by the religious
> heretics have hampered the growth of
> true knowledge and teaming. For example.
> from the time of.Hypatia‘s death there
> was a steep decline in the position of
> Alexandria as a centre of gleaming.
> Similarly since the destruction of the
> Alexandria library, as Draper puts it,
> "obscurantism began to flourish and by
> 414 A.D. the teaching of Greek philosophy
> and science was prohibited," even in
> Athens, by the Emperor Justinian and
> all the schools and colleges were closed
> down."                     I * '
> 5. Many historians have recorded the
> horrors of the Courts of lnquisition and
> have revealed to the readersfthe
> ghastly persecution of thoselwho did not
> accept the orthodox and superstitious,
> beliefs. These historians have aroused
> a sense of revulsion and horror by
> describing all the crimes committed in
> the name of religion. They-have stated '
> that in several countries like ltaly, Spain,
> Germany and Southern France these
> Courts of lnquisition were responsible.
> for the persecution of scholars,
> l
> 
> ;
> i
> 
> scientists and those who did not believe
> in Christ. Thus thousands of innocent
> learned people were unnecessarily
> persecuted, tortured and killed by these
> Courts.
> For instance, in 1481 in Andalusia two
> thousand people were burnt, and
> seventeen thousand were sentenced to
> life imprisonment and their property was
> it
> confiscated.
> IF
> ti
> Thomas Torquemada (1420-1498), one
> j.
> of the brutal leaders of the lnquisition,
> had devised all kinds of tortures and
> it                sufferings for those who were accused
> E;                by the Court. He himself signed the
> ,1                death warrants of 8,000 people, and
> many others were tortured in dungeons
> by his orders.        .
> Historians of the lnquisition state that
> Thomas Torquemada and his accomplic-
> es burnt to death 12,220 persons, branded
> another 6,806 and tortured 97,320“ people
> within a short span of 18 years.‘ They
> also burnt the Bible written in Hebrew,
> and in Salamanca (Spain) bonfires were
> made of six thousand books of literature.
> The Papists in those days had devised
> means of extracting large sums of money
> from the accused by certificates of
> Absolution.           =            E "
> lt is on the basis of the luxurious‘,
> faulty, pompous life of some of the
> clergy and thepersecution of the rational
> and scientific scholars by the men of
> religious authority that scholars have 1
> come to regard religion as opposed to
> science.
> 
> L XA1L_-A.
> 
> .%=&§.
> CHAPTER 5
> 
> Religion is not Opposed to Science
> If we were to compile a list of verses and
> passages teaching the concord of science
> and religion, it could go to any length.
> The Holy Writings of the Baha'i Faith,
> the Bible, the Koran, the Vedas, the
> Bhagvad Gita and other holy scriptures
> allude to the harmony of science and
> religion. We will quote only a few
> examples.*
> 
> Baha'u’llah says, "Arts, crafts and
> sciences uplift the world of being and
> are conducive to its exaltation.
> Knowledge is as wings to man's life, and
> a ladder for his ascent. its acquisition
> is incumbent upon everyone. . . . Great
> indeed is the claim of scientists and
> craftsmen on the peoples of the wor|d..."
> 
> Abdu'l-Bah a says:
> “We may think of science as one wing
> and religion as the other; a bird needs
> two wings for flight, one alone would be
> useless. Any religion that contradicts
> science, or that is opposed to it, is only
> ignorance . . . Religion which consists
> only of rites and ceremonies of prejudice
> is not the Truth . . . Much of the discord
> and disunion ofthe world is created by
> th ese man-made oppositions and
> ‘Also read “lqan" (The Book of Certitude) by
> Baha'u'llah.
> 
> contradictions- if religion were in
> harmony with science . . . much of the
> hatred and bitterness now bringing
> misery to the human race would be at an
> end. I say to you: Weigh carefully in the
> balance of reason and science everything
> that is presented to you as religion. if it
> passes this test, then accept it, for it is
> Truth. lf, however, it does not so
> conform, then reject it, for it is ignorance.
> It is impossible for Religion to be
> contrary to science, even though some
> lntellects are too weak or too immature
> l        to understand truth. God made religion
> and science to be the measure, as it
> it       were, of our understanding. Take heed
> that you neglect not such a wonderful
> power. Weigh'all things in this balance.
> Put all your beliefs into harmony with
> science, there -can be no opposition, for
> truth is one. When religion, shorn of its
> superstitions, traditions and unintelligent
> dogmas shows its conformity with
> science, then will there be a great
> unifying, cleansing force in the world
> which will sweep before it all wars,
> disagreements, discords and struggles,
> and then will mankind be united in the
> power of the love of God."*
> if the critics of Christianity study deeply
> the teachings of Christ, they will clearly
> understand that His teachings do not
> oppose knowledge or learning or
> science. Ab~idu'l-Baha observes, "the
> Papal See has constantly opposed
> knowledge; even in Europe it is admitted
> that religion is the opponent of science,
> and that science is the destroyer of the
> foundations of religion. While the Religion
> of God is the promoter of truth, the
> founder of science and knowledge, it is
> i
> full of goodwill for learned men; it is the
> civiliser of mankind, the discoverer of the
> 
> secrets of nature, and the enlightener of
> the horizons of the world. Consequently,
> how can it be said to oppose knowledge?
> God forbid I Nay, for God, knowledge
> is the most glorious gift of man, and the
> most noble _of human perfections. To
> oppose knowledge is ignorance, and he
> who detests knowledge and science is
> not a man, but rather an animal without
> intelligence. For knowledge is light, life,
> felicity, perfection, beauty, and the
> means of approaching the Threshold of
> Unity. lt is the honour and the glory of
> the world of humanity, and the greatest
> bounty of God. Knowledge is identical
> with guidance, and ignorance is real
> error."'
> Draper in his book about The Conflict
> between Religion and Science accepts
> this view and writes, “The teachings
> and the basic beliefs of the early
> Christians revolved round these three
> points:
> 
> (i) the glorification and praise of God
> (ii) the purity pf character -
> (iii) love and mercy towards each
> other."
> 
> Tertullinus (160-230 A.D.) wrote a
> treatise in defence of Christianity in
> which he expounded that it was not
> opposed to science and knowledge.
> ln the Holy Quran it is stated : “Are
> those who know and those who do not
> know alike ?"‘
> Abdu‘l-Baha says, “Ali, the son-in-law
> of Muhammad, said : ‘That which is in
> conformity with science is also in
> conformity with religion. Whatever the
> intelligence of man cannot understand,
> ‘Q
> 
> religion ought not to accept. Religion
> and. science walk hand in hand, and any
> religion contrary to science is not the
> truth."‘
> i
> Bhagvad Gita mentions the importance
> of knowledge and science as follows :
> l
> "The conqueror ot senses stands stead-
> fast as if on a rock, he it is who is well
> u.
> contented with knowledge and science."°
> The Blessed Lord said :
> “To thee, the uncarping, verily, shall l
> declare this profoundest secret:
> Knowledge coupled with science, which,
> having known, thou shalt be freed from
> darkness)"
> .s;_.a<-_E.,4_<. _ .=
> i
> Another cause of dissension and
> disagreement is the misinterpretation of
> the holy utterances, or a lack of ability
> to understand their symbolic and
> allegorical meaning. Consequently’ the
> texts of some sacred scriptures have
> appeared to be in opposition to the laws
> of science.
> Divine revelation is not for explanation
> of technological problems. The Prophets
> of God do not present speculations on
> scientific problems. Religion is
> concerned with spiritual values and
> ethical principles pertaining to man's
> heart and soul and not with the material
> world. Abdu’l-Baha says, " A. . . the day
> of the appearance of the Holy
> Manifestation is the spiritual spring
> time, it is the divine splendour, it is the
> heavenly beauty, the breeze of life, the
> rising of the Sun of Reality."
> When the sun rises and illumines the
> world, there is no need for anyone to
> make the eye see. It is the nature of the
> 
> eye to see in the light, Similarly, the
> Prophets of God illumine the mind and
> the soul of man, and man himself
> discovers scientific facts.
> Therefore the subject of the creation of
> universe and of Adam and Eve, the
> darkening of the sun and the moon and
> the falling of the stars is symbolic and
> not to be taken literally.
> i
> i
> i
> 
> i
> 
> i
> i
> EPILOGUE
> is
> i
> i
> 
> Science and Religion are two parts of a
> \.
> l            Reality. They are not two opposites, but
> two ways of understanding the mysteries
> t        of God.                     '
> 
> i
> Abdu’i-Baha says: “Between scientists
> and the followers of religion there has
> ,t
> always been controversy and strife, for
> -9,
> the reason that the latter have
> i         proclaimed religion superior in authority
> to science and considered scientific
> Ii
> i
> announcement opposed to the teachings
> of religion. Baha‘u‘iiah declared that
> religion is in complete harmony with
> science and reason. it religious belief
> and doctrine is at variance with reason,
> it proceeds from the limited mind of man
> and not from God ; therefore it is
> unworthy of belief and not deserving of
> attention ; the heart finds no rest in it
> and real faith is impossible. How can
> man believe that which he knows to be
> opposed to reason 7 ls this possible?
> Can the heart accept that which reason
> denies ? Reason is the first faculty of
> man and the religion of God is in
> harmony with it. Baha‘u’ilah has removed
> t        this form of dissension and discord from
> among mankind and reconciled science
> with religion by revealing the pure A
> teachings of the Divine Reality. This
> accomplishment is specialized to Him in
> this day."'
> 
> Religion and science go hand in hand.
> /
> 
> i
> 
> Without one the other is incomplete.
> Science without religion and spiritual
> learning may do more harm than good
> as it has done in the last wars. It is
> religion which renders to science a true
> colour of human service. It is in this
> context that the appearance of the
> Manifestation of God is the supreme
> need of mankind.
> 
> 1 Epistle lo the Son of the Woil, p. 26
> 2 Pa‘ris Talks, p. 146
> 3 Some Answered Questions, pp. 156-57
> 4 Chapter XXXII, Verse 9
> -’* Wisdom of Abdu‘l Baha
> ° Gila VI, 8
> 7 Gite IX, 1
> it Some Answered Questions, pp. 84-85
> " Selections from Baha'i Scriptures, p. 285
> i
> 
> i
> 
> i
> 
> »
> I
> i
> 
> Printed at Skylark Printers. New Delhi.
>
> — *Science and Religion (Used by permission of the curator)*